U.S. state · UT
Flag of Utah
The current Utah flag, official since March 9, 2024, has bands of dark blue, white and red with a gold beehive and a star. It joined, and now flies beside, the navy flag with the state seal that dates from 1913 and is now the "Historic State Flag".
What the Utah flag looks like
The new Utah state flag is built from three unequal horizontal areas of color: dark blue at the top, white in the middle and red below, with the blue taking the largest share. The white band has a five-peaked mountain line along its upper edge. At the center is a blue hexagon outlined in gold, holding a gold beehive, with a white five-pointed star below the beehive.
The flag is 5:3 and has no text or seal. That makes it much easier to read at a distance than the earlier design, which placed a detailed state seal on a navy field. Four colors are used: blue, white, red and gold.
Utah flag meaning and symbolism
The beehive is the central symbol. It stands for industry and cooperation, and it connects to the state motto, Industry, and the nickname the Beehive State. Early settlers used the name Deseret, a word from the Book of Mormon that refers to the honeybee.
The blue stripe represents Utah's skies and lakes, the white stripe peace and the snowy peaks of the state's mountains, and the red stripe the desert landscapes of southern Utah and the spirit of perseverance. The red, white and blue also echo the U.S. flag. The star honors the five original tribal nations of Utah (Navajo, Shoshone, Goshute, Paiute and Ute) and also alludes to Utah being the 45th state.
History of the Utah flag
Utah became the 45th state in 1896. Its first state flag was made in 1903 for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, with the state seal and the year 1896 on a blue field. The legislature made it the official state flag in 1911. In 1913 the law was changed to allow a version with a full-color seal and a gold ring around it, and that design stayed in use for more than a century.
After earlier redesign efforts failed, a law in 2021 created a state flag task force. In 2022 it received 5,703 designs from the public, and finalists were put to public feedback. The legislature approved the beehive flag in early 2023, Governor Spencer Cox signed it on March 21, 2023, and it took effect on March 9, 2024. The earlier flag was kept as the Historic State Flag.
Utah flag colors
#071D49RGB
7, 29, 73CMYK
90, 60, 0, 71#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0#AA0200RGB
170, 2, 0CMYK
0, 99, 100, 33#FFB81DRGB
255, 184, 29CMYK
0, 28, 89, 0Utah flag facts
| Adopted | March 9, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| State capital | Salt Lake City |
| State motto | Industry |
| Population | 3,271,616 |
Utah state flag FAQ
Why did Utah change its state flag?
Supporters argued the old flag, a seal on a navy field, looked like many other state flags and was too detailed to recognize easily. A task force and public contest led to a simpler design, approved by the legislature in 2023 and in effect from 2024.
Why is there a beehive on the Utah flag?
The beehive stands for industry and working together. It matches the state motto, Industry, and the Beehive State nickname, and it dates back to the pioneer-era name Deseret.
Does Utah have two state flags?
Yes, in a way. The 2024 beehive design is the state flag, and the earlier seal flag was re-designated the Historic State Flag, which keeps co-official status and still flies year-round at the Utah Capitol.
What colors are on the Utah flag?
Dark blue, white, red and gold. The blue stands for sky and lakes, the white for peace and snowy peaks, the red for the southern desert and perseverance, and the gold for the beehive and honeycomb. See more at U.S. state flags.
What is the difference between the old and new Utah flag?
The old flag, used from 1913, was a navy field with the full-color state seal and a gold ring. The new flag is a tricolor of blue, white and red with a mountain-peak line, a gold beehive in a hexagon and a white star, and no text. The old one is now the Historic State Flag.
Did Utah recently change their flag?
Yes. After a task force collected 5,703 public designs in 2022, the legislature approved the beehive flag in 2023. Governor Spencer Cox signed it on March 21, 2023, and it became official on March 9, 2024. The older seal flag remains co-official as the Historic State Flag.
